Juanita Hester
1930-2018
Juanita Hester, 88, of Snyder, died Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 in Snyder.
Funeral service for Mrs. Hester will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Ira Church of God with the Rev. Rocky Alexander officiating. The service will be under the direction of Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home.
Visitation will be held from 6-7 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Born on May 27, 1930 in Borger to C.U. “Carl” Bishop and Thelma Louise Grant, she married Harold Pete Hester on Nov. 4, 1948 in Snyder. He preceded her in death on Aug. 7, 2009.
Juanita was a member of the Ira Church of God, where she was very active. She attended West Texas State University and was a board member for Mid-America Christian University, where she received an honorary doctorate in humanities. She was an avid sports enthusiast who loved to watch and play all kinds of sports. She loved to play golf and was a member of the Snyder Ladies Golf Association. Juanita was also a rural mail carrier for many years.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, one daughter, Susie Miller, one granddaughter, Jonie Miller, one grandson, Jason Miller, and two brothers, Bernard and Garland Bishop.
Survivors include one son, Richard Hester and his wife, Debra, of Snyder; three grandchildren, Matthew Hester and Jina Sterling and her husband, Tyrel, all of Snyder, and Jared Hester and his wife, Kristel, of North Richland Hills; one granddaughter-in-law, Shawn Miller of Ira; eight great-grandchildren, Kylie and Cash Miller, Austin Fields, Lauren Rollins, Remington Sterling and Parker, Fallon and Owen Hester; and three nieces, Janice Hart, Jackie Payne and Margaret Bishop.
Online condolences may be posted at www.bellcypertseale.com.
Betty Shelburne
1919-2018
Betty Myrle Routh Shelburne went to join her beloved husband, Lesley Shelburne, and other loved ones in the presence of her Lord on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. She lived a life devoted to her family, her church and others. She will be remembered by all for her kindness and good nature, her curiosity and interest in their lives and activities, her optimism and her example of unconditional love.
Family dominated her thoughts and she considered their milestones and accomplishments part of her riches. For years, she sent Christmas cards with a note and a $2 bill to each of her seven surviving children and spouses, 22 grandchildren and 66 great-grandchildren. Some saved and treasured each one.
Both frugal and generous, ahead of her time on issues like recycling, she stayed current on public affairs, voting in most elections. Even in her last months, she participated in and helped lead a Bible study with her friends.
Betty Myrle was born in Hamlin on Sept. 11, 1919 to Thomas Jefferson Routh and Gertrude Elizabeth Rothell Routh.
They lived in Fort Worth, then Olney, joined by her sister, Dorothy Fern, when she was five.
Betty was 10 when the Depression changed life for so many, and they moved back to Hamlin, living with her grandparents until her marriage. At one time, the household included three families. Times were hard, but family ties were close.
Betty met Lesley Shelburne upon moving to Hamlin. She graduated as valedictorian of their class. Lesley maintained he was smart enough to marry her. After graduation, Betty attended college at Mary Hardin-Baylor College. Returning to Hamlin, she worked as secretary for First Baptist Church. Lesley proposed and they were married on April 21, 1940, after the church service. The pastor announced the wedding vows would be exchanged after the service and anyone who wanted to do so could leave. No one left.
The new couple lived first in Brownwood then in Fort Worth, where he worked in aircraft construction. Their first son was born in January 1941. When Lesley was drafted, Betty returned to Hamlin and gave birth to their second son. Awaiting Lesley’s return, Betty stayed busy with her young family. After the war, the couple settled in Hamlin and in 1947 twin daughters were born. In 1953, another set of twin daughters arrived on the sixth birthday of the first twins. In 1955, another son and in 1959 another daughter completed the family. Betty was helped by her parents, whose farmhouse was a favorite retreat for the children.
In 1960, the family moved to Snyder, where all but one of the children graduated from public school.
The oldest had graduated from Hamlin High School and was attending Hardin-Simmons University. In Snyder, Betty conducted censuses and substitute-taught until she and her sister bought a Christian bookstore, which Betty ran until its sale in 1978, when she and Lesley moved back to Hamlin to care for Betty’s mother.
After Gertrude’s death, Betty worked in the hospital pharmacy.
In 2001 she suffered a stroke, but according to her cardiologist, made the best recovery of all her patients, attributed in large measure to the prayers of family, church and friends, as well as excellent medical care.
Grieving deeply after daughter Carol’s death in 2005, Betty and Lesley moved to Abilene, helped by daughter Lynne and her husband, Larry Darnell. They joined Southwest Park Baptist Church, attending as health permitted. Betty and Lesley were favorites of the staff at Northern Oaks Nursing Home, with his cheerful songs and her treating each one she met, resident or staff, as a new friend.
Survivors include seven children, Col. (Ret.) Bryan and his wife, Sareta, Tom and his wife, Sally, Sarah Darnell and her husband, Larry, Anne Russell and her husband, Doc, Judy Montgomery and her husband, Rick, Jan Teer and her husband, Mike, and Jim and his wife, Ronda; 21 grandchildren, Kerri Thompson and her husband, Doug, Darren and his wife, Robin, Tom Jr. and his wife, Lesli, Sarah North and her husband, Barrie, Elizabeth Shelburne and her husband, Mike DeMichele, the Rev. Will, and his wife, Sara, Jason Williams and his wife, Kim, Jeremy Williams, Jennifer Imboden and her husband, Shea, Chris Reeves, Layne Johnson, Dana Russell, David Montgomery and his wife, Ronna, Daniel and his wife, Laura, Jeffrey Montgomery and his wife, Valerie, Eric Teer and his wife, Wendy, Dr. Bethany Norberg and her husband, Jeremy, Andrew Teer and his wife, Lauren, Lindsay Holland and her husband, Ben, Nathan Shelburne and his wife, Avery, and Adam Shelburne; her grandson Aaron’s widow, Amber Teer; four step-grandchildren, Jeannie Darnell, Jennifer Case and her husband, Carl, Jimmy Darnell and his wife, Lisa, and Paul Darnell and his wife, Kacey; 65 great-grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Betty Myrle Routh Shelburne has gone to her reward in Heaven, missed and celebrated by her family and friends, who are grateful to her doctors and the caring nurses and staff at Northern Oaks Nursing Home, and especially Kinder Hearts Hospice Care RN Leslie Boggess and volunteer Jennifer Witt .
Graveside service for Shelburne will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Hamlin Memorial Cemetery. The service will be under the direction of Adams Foster Ray Funeral Home.
Visitation will be held from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday at Elmwood Funeral Home in Hamlin.
Memorials may be made to Southwest Park Baptist Church, ZebStrong Foundation or a charity of choice.
Sam Walker
1942-2018
Sam Walker, 76, of Snyder, died Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 in Oba, Ontario, Canada.
A memorial service for Mr. Walker will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Rocky Alexander officiating.
Steve York
1955-2018
Steve Dwayne York, 63, a longtime resident of Snyder, died Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 in Lubbock.
Funeral service for Mr. York will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the East Side Church of Christ with Nicky Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at Hillside Memorial Gardens under the direction of Miller Family Funeral Home.
Visitation will be held from 6-7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Steve was born on July 29, 1955 in Lubbock to Clifford and Wanda (Marie) York. His passion for work, friends and family left a memory with anyone he met. From driving his cattle truck to roping on the weekends, he lived life to the fullest.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Survivors include his special friend, Tami Christeson of Lubbock; his mother, Wanda York of Snyder; one son, Ryan Babb and his wife, Whitney, of Idalou; one brother, Larry York of Paradise; one sister, Katrina Burney of Snyder; his nieces and nephews, Jason York and his wife, Jackie, Shelley Collier and Cody Burney, all of Snyder, and Kassey Osborn and her husband, Clint, of Austin; and six grandchildren, Elizabeth, Eli, Braxton and Maverick Babb, all of Idalou, Weldon Kinney of Snyder and Jayton Creswell of Lubbock.
Online condolences may be posted at www.millerfamilyfuneralhome.com.